The invention relates to propelled vehicular apparatus, and more particularly to powered roller skates.
Various forms of powered roller skates or similar devices have been suggested previously. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,857,008 and 3,876,032. U.S. Pat. No. 2,857,008 shows a roller skate powered by a motor carried on the back of the user, with a flexible drive leading from the motor to the rear wheel truck of one skate. The driven wheel of the patent was driven via a ratchet arrangement so that the wheels could freewheel over the speed of the motor. A special bearing-mounted axle was provided for the driven wheel, with a bevel drive gearing internal to the wheel truck, and a drive shaft extending upward and outward from the center rear of the skate.
None of the prior art powered roller skate apparatus included features enabling universality of application of a powered wheel truck to standard roller skates, nor did the prior art contemplate an efficient drive system in combination with the safer front wheel drive. Further, the prior art lacks any teaching of an efficient back-pack type carrying system that includes convenient throttle controle operation and starting and stopping of the motor.